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August 13, 2012

Old Washington, D.C. in Early Photographs

When we were browsing the gift shop at Tudor Place on Saturday, I picked up “Old Washington, D.C. in Early Photographs, 1846-1932,” by Robert Reed.

I rationalize that since I bought his book, provide a link to it, and state the source (Washingtonian Division, MLK Library), I am permitted to show one of his photos.

Difficult to pick out just one. I chose this one showing the Washington Post when it was located at 1339 E Street NW. Its three arches and Romanesque Revival architecture grabbed my eye first, reminding me of the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto. RUSH used the Richardsonian Romanesque building when they shot the cover for their Moving Pictures album.

James Goode covered the Post building in his book, “Capital Losses,” but the years of the photos differ. Goode’s is from 1905, Reed’s is from 1917.

I also chose this photo because I had always been curious about where the Post was located before their present address at 1513 L NW (since 1950).

Goode’s two pages cover the story. Stilson Hutchins, who would go on to finance and market the linotype typesetting machine, which revolutionized the industry, founded the newspaper in 1877. Under Hutchins, the newspaper went through three different locations (919 Pennsylvania, 339 Pennsylvania and 10th and D (all NW).

In 1893, new owners moved to the 1339 E Street location, practically rubbing shoulders with the National Theater and “Newspaper Row” on 14th Street.

In 1950, the Washington Post built a new palace on 14th Street. Four years later, they eclipsed the Evening Star in circulation. Sadly, that was the same year their old digs vanished in a cloud of dust.